Atharvaveda ancillary literature (Study)

by B. R. Modak | 1959 | 179,855 words

The essay studies the ancillary literature of the Atharva-Veda with special reference to the Parisistas. It does so by understanding the socio-cultural and philosophical aspects of ancient Indian life. The Atharvaveda addresses encompasses all practical aspects of life from health and prosperity to rituals and sorcery. This thesis systematically ex...

Part 4 - The Kalpas (sacrificial procedures)—Introduction

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Kalpa means the method or the way of performing the sacrificial rites". 1. It also denotes the sacrificial procedure as well as the sacred precepts relating to that procedure. The texts embodying such precepts also came to be called kalpas or Kalpasutras. Five kalpas or ritual texts are consistently referred to by tradition as belonging to the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension It is due to this fact that an Atharvavedin is called 2 a 'Pancakalpin by the Mahabhasya2. No; it is you. The Caranavyuha of the Katiya Parisista (5) belonging to the Sukla Yajurveda , the Caranavyuha of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 49.4.7), the Devi Puraha3, the Vienu Purana (III.6)"; the Vayu Purana (61) 5 and the Atharvaniya Paddhati are unanimous, (1) Cf. Haug, The Aitareya Brahmana, intro. p.7. (2) 12.342.99; 13.14.309. Weber (Indische Studien XIII, p.455) understands the term as denoting one who studies five different Kalpas i.e. Srauta Sutras. But this is not the correct sense. Cf. Bloomfield, Journal of the American Oriental Society XI, p. 378; SBE 42, p.EEV xxviii; The Atharvaveda (Grundriss), p.16. The word Panca-kalpin appears also as the title for the scribes of Atharvan texts. Cf. Weber, Verzeichniss der Sanskrit und Prakrit Handschriffen II pp. 96, 919, 921. (3) Cited by Weber, Indische Studien III, p. 279. (4) Vol. III, p. 63 of Hall's ed. of Wilson's translation. Gopatha Brahmana , intro. p. 5. Cf. R.Mitra, (5) Bibliotheca Indica ed., p. 576. (6) Bloomfield, intro. to Kausika Sutra , Journal of the American Oriental Society XIV, p.xiv.

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183 with little change in names, in mentioning the Kalpas. In the Mahabharata (XII. 13258) the number of the Kalpas is given as five without their names being mentioned. In the Mahabhagya the kalpas of of Kausika and Kasyapa often occur together?. The Bhagavata Purana mentions the names as naksatrakalpah santis ca kasyapangirasadayah. Sayana, in the introduction to his commentary on the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension mentions the kalpas, however, as Sutras and further adds that they belong to four of the nine sakhas of the Av. 8 The five kalpas mentioned in the Caranavyuha (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 49.4.7) are: 1) the Naksatra-kalpa, 2) the Vaitana-kalpa, 3) the Samhita-kalpa (Samhita-vidhi), 4) the Angirasa-kalpa and 5) the Santi-kalpa. The traditionally recognised importance of these five kalpas can be seen from the fact that the Paddhati on the Kausika Sutra cites at the beginning, the authority of the great Mimamsa teacher, Upavarga, who states that these Kalpas are on par with the sruti texts while the other Kalpas are like the Smrtis. (7) Cf. Indische Studien XIII, pp. 417, 419, 436, 445, 455. (8) SPP's ed. p.25: (9) tatra saunakadisu rsu sakha anuvagadinam gopathabramhananusarena pancabhih sutreviniyogo'bhihitah| tani va sutrani kausikam vedanam navatrakalepah angirasakalpah sankilpara deti | mimamsaya smrtipade kalyakarane naksatrako tatiyah samhitakalcara turisi kalyah kalpastu pancamah kalpa vedatulya hoti bhagavanupapicaryena pratipaditamanye kalyah smrttivyah |

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184 1) The Naksatra-kalpa The Naksatra-kalpa takes its name from the fact that it describes the ritual related to the constellations. It is counted as the first among the seventy-two Parisistas 10 of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension At the outset the Naksatra-Kalpa enumerates the names of the twenty-eight constellations and mentions the Rsi families to which they belong, the deities which preside over them and the objects which are affected by them. Then it proceeds to the statement of the duties of a king under each constellation. It also mentions the objects mystically associated with the various constellations and describes the rituals which aim at securing prosperity from them. It further mentions the portions of the day over which the constellations prevail. The constellations are divided according to (10) Sayana, in the introduction to his commentary on the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension (SPP's ed. p. 27) says: In the Naksatra-Kalpa there is at the outset the worship of the constellations. Then there is the pacificatory ceremony for the omens. Further the worship of Nirrti is described. Various types of Santis to serve diverse ends and based on the Mahasanti are also explained. This shows that our text of the Naksatra-Kalpa does not represent the Naksatra-kalpa known to Sayana. The latter is, in fact, the second adhyaya of the Santi-Kalpa where, in the beginning, the worship of the constellations is prescribed. The occasions on which the various Santis are performed are quoted by Sayana directly from the Santi-Kalpa (II.17.2). The Naksatra-Kalpa as is known to us is never referred to by Sayana.

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185 the four main quarters and their influence upon a journey, especially upon the military expedition of a king, is set forth. A reference is also made to certain omens in this connection. The Naksatra-Kalpa then deals with the ritual of the baths to be taken under the various constellations (naksatrasnanani), by mixing various objects with water. Similarly gifts to be offered under different constellations are prescribed. It may be incidentally pointed out that the Naksatra-Kalpa quotes Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7 which is a hymn addressed to the constellations. In this hymn the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension shows an advance over the Taittiriya Brahmana , because herein the Abhijit is mentioned, although the list of constellations begins, as usual in vedic literature, with the Krttikas. The following hymn (XIX.8) which is addressed to the divine Day and Night is also quoted in the Naksatra-Kalpa 11. 2) The Vaitana-kalpa and 3) the Samhita-kalpa are only other names given to the Vaitana Sutra and the Kausika Sutra respectively. A survey of these two works has already been done elsewhere in this Thesis. 4) The Angirasa-kalpa. The text of this Kalpa is, perhaps, no longer (11) The Naksatra-Kalpa which is the first among the Parisistas has been treated in detail in Part II.

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186 12 extant As its very name would suggest, the Angirasakalpa must have been a work which mainly dealt with exortism and black magic. It would, accordingly, throw a flood of light on the sixth adhyaya of the Kausika Sutra It appears that the text of the Angirasa-kalpa was available to Sayana. For, in the introduction to his commentary on the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension 13, Sayana says that in the Angirasa-kalpa there is, at the beginning of the exorcistic rite, a protective rite intended for the safety of the celebrant, the priest and others. The Sayana-Bhasya further states that the descriptions of the place, time, pandal, sacrificial sticks, clarified butter and other requisites together with the initiatory vow necessary for exorcistic rites are given therein. There are also described other rites intended effectively to counteract the exorcism employed by others, etc. Kesava also refers to the Angirasa-kalpa in his Paddhati on the Kausika Sutra 14. (12) Cf. Bloomfield, "The position of the Vaitana Sutra in the literature of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension ", Journal of the American Oriental Society XI, p. 38; and Bolling, "The Santi-kalpa of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension ", Journal of the American Oriental Society XXXIII, p. 267. V.W.Karambelkar has pointed out in All India Oriental Conference. (1943) at Nagpur that the Ms. Pratyangira-kalpa in the collection of the Nagpur University is a part of the lost Angirasa-kalpa. (13) SPP's ed. p. 28. (14) Kesava on Kausika Sutra 39.5-12; 47.2; 56.5.

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187 5) The Santi-kalpa. The Santi-kalpa (Santi-Kalpa ) is a fairly big work devoted, as the title suggests, to the description of the 'great ceremony X for averting the evil effects of omens and portents' (adbhuta-mahasanti). The Santi-Kalpa consists of two adhyavas. The first adhyava contains eighteen kandikas and the second twenty-five. The first adhyaya of the Santi-Kalpa opens with the glorification of the Maha-santi. The Maha-santi is said to destroy the evil effects of planets and to bring allround prosperity. This ceremony is said to have been performed by Brhaspati for the sake of Indra who was harassed by the demons. The main Santi is to be preceded by a series of preliminary ceremonies for the propitiation of various powers. At the outset, comes the worship of the Vinayakas 2 By way of a vow, the performer should live on vegetables, milk or fruits for twelve nights or on clarified butter only, for seven nights and in addition he should live (1) This Santi is often referred to in the Parisistas: Atharvaveda-Parisistas b 52.16.6; 54.2.4; 58.1.13; 58.4.20; 59.1.20; 64.10.9; 65.3.6; 68.5.28, 29; 69.6.4; 70 b.16.5; 72.1.3. (2) It should be noted that the word Vinayaka which is popularly understood to be just another name of Ganesa should be here mentioned as the producer of difficulties while Ganesa is the destroyer of difficulties (vighnaharta).

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188 on milk for one night. Then on an auspicious day he should be given a bath at the cross roads, standing on a bull's skin and to the accompaniment of the formulas which are given in full3. Misfortune (alaksmi) is thereby driven away and purification obtained from all quarters and their presiding divinities". The mantras Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.115.1-4 are also to be employed at the time of the bath P* The Vinayakas are four in number. Their names are Salakatankata, Kusmanda-rajaputra, Utsmrta and Devayajana. They are worshipped at midnight by offering into the fire fresh white-mustard oil or fresh clarified butter. White and red flowers, husked and unhusked rice, flour, boiled and raw flesh, boiled and raw grains of corn, fish, various kinds of cakes, beans, different roots, scented drinks (marica-pana) (3) Some of the formulas given here are similar to the mantras in Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IV.40 and are referred to by Sayana in his comm. on Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VII.113 (SPP's ed. p. 542) (4) Among the quarters that are mentioned here is vyadhva (= 'the middle' or 'the atmospheric') in addition to the usual urdhva (the upper) and dhruva (the lower) quarters. It may be pointed out that the presiding divinity of the North is here mentioned as Soma, of the upper quarter, Brhaspati; and of the lower quarter, Visnu. The normal divinities of the various quarters, such as, for instance, are referred to in the usual twilight-worship (sandhyopasana) are Kubera for the North, Brahma for the upper quarter and Ananta for the lower quarter. (cr. Amarakosa, I.3.4) Vyadhva is not usually referred to. At Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension III.27 also vvadhva is not mentioned; though the presiding divinities of the remaining quarters mentioned there correspond to those mentioned in the Santi-Kalpa

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189 and wine - all these things are offered, placing them in new winnowing baskets, seperately for each of the four Vinayakas. Then the Vinayakas are prayed to. At daybreak, the lustrous Sun is prayed to for destroying misfortune and granting prosperity. The Brahmanas are honoured and a cow and a bull, gold and garment are given to the priest by way of daksina. The fire for the Mahasanti is now to be churned out. The priest wears white garments while churning out the fire, uttering amso raja...5. An offering of clarified butter is made with samas tva 6 and other prescribed mantras. It is stated that a pakayaina is to be offered to God Isana at the beginning of all ceremonies. Then follows the worship of the Grahas (i.e. the 8 planets including the Sun, the Moon, Rahu and Ketu ). To the east of the sacred fire, a place is got ready by smearing it with cow-dung for invoking the Grahas. It is spread over with a new piece of cloth with its trails pointing towards the north. The parasols, seats, foot-wear and foot-stools made of gold are properly arranged for all the Grahas. Then the nine Grahas are invoked by reciting the prescribed formulas. The images of the Grahas are to be (5) Kausika Sutra 71.1. (6) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.6.1. (7) They are Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension IX.1.1; XIX. 4.2; IX.2.6; XIX.5.1. (8) Rahu and Ketu represent the ascending and the descending nodes of the Moon resp.

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190 made of pigment (Varnaka), or of wood or of metal. The Sun and the Mars are red and their images are made of copper or red sandal; Venus and the Moon are white and their images are made of silver or of sandal. Rahu, Ketu and Saturn are black and their images are made of iron, and Mercury and Jupiter are yellow and their images are made of gold or of termeric. The Grahas are given a both a (abhiscka) and are offered perfumes, flowers, incense, 10 lamps, foods and golden vessels filled with clarified butter. Oblations are offered into the fire for all the Grahas and they are prayed with the prescribed mantras 11 The sacrificial fuel in connection with the various Grahas is as under: The sticks of the arka tree are offered to the Sun; of the palasa to the Moon; of the madhuka to Mars; of the nyagrodha to Mercury, of the udumbara to Jupiter; of the plaksa to Venus and of the (9) According to Asvalayana Grhya Parisista (2.3) the images of the nine grahas are to be made of: copper, crystal, red sandal, gold, gold, silver, iron, lead and bell-metal (kamsya) resp. (10) It is laid down that the flowers, garments and unguents offered to the Grahas should be of the same colour as their own. (11) The mantras are - Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVII.1.1 for the Sun; Vedic Index 128.1 for the Moon; IV.31.1, 32.1 for Mars; III.29.1; VII.81.3 for Mercury; IV.1.5, VII.8.1 and VII.51.1 for Jupiter; I.33.1; IV.1.6; XVII.1.20 (II.11.5) for Venus; XIX.6.1; X.20.1 and XI.4.1 for Saturn; Kausika Sutra 99.1; 100.2 for Rahu and VII.11.1; XVIII.1.30; XX.26.6 for Ketu. anagaraka

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191 asvattha to Saturn. Dry cow-dung from the forest is offered to Rahu and kusas (Sacrificial grass) besmeared with clarified butter are offered to Ketu 12 Oblations of 6 clarified butter are offered with the mantras of the santi, 13 krtyadusana, catana, matrnama and vastospatya ganas The mantras from the abhaya gana are used for the concluding prayer. The gifts that are to be offered to the priests are: good cows in honour of the Sun, gold (rulma) in honour of the Moon, a bull in honour of Mars, gold (kancana) in honour of Mercury, a boon (vara) in honour of Jupiter, a horse in honour of Venus, a female goat in honour of Saturn, an elephant in honour of Rahu and a lady of low caste in honour of Ketu. The food that is to be served in the house to the Brahmanas is: rice with clarified butter and milk in the name of the Sun and the Moon, gudaudana (rice cooked with jaggery) and modakas (sweet balls) in the name of Mars, ksiraudana (a sweet preparation of rice and milk) in the (12) Asvalayana Grhya Parisista (2.3) mentions the nine kinds of unguents, flowers, incense, food and jewels for the nine Grahas. The holy sticks mentioned therein are arka, palasa, khadira, apamarga, asvattha, udumbara, sami, durva and kusas for the nine Grahas resp. According to the Samillaksana (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 26.5.6-7) the sticks should be of arka, palasa, madhuka, nyagrodha, udumbara, plaksa, asvattha, gomaya and kusa. This is identical with the Santi-Kalpa (13) Cf. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 32.1-5

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192 name of Mercury, clarified butter and payasa (a dish of milk) in the name of Jupiter, food of all kinds in the name of Venus, havisyanna (food fit to be eaten on the days of fast) in the name of Saturn, rice cooked with meat in the name of Rahu and krsaranna (rice cooked with beans and spices) in the name of Ketu 14. Thus the worship of the nine Grahas with the proper sacrificial fuel, food and fees has been described in the first adhyaya of the Santi-Kalpa This worship is called Santibhaisajya. It is to be performed along with a birth-rite, for safety while on a journey (yatra), or when the Grahas occupy inauspicious positions. In the middle of the first adhyaya (kandika 11), the Santi-Kalpa gives the following legend. The Grahas who are divine progeny (deva-putrah) once went to God Brahma and asked for a share in the sacrifice for each. God Brahma asked them to move through the constellations in the proper order. A man may may not be succeeding in his undertakings on account of the constellation, under which he was born, being occupied by one or the other of the Grahas. Naturally, in order that the evil effect of that particular Graha should be averted, the man will offer oblations to that Graha. In this way, all the Grahas will obtain a share. (14) Asvalayana Grhya Parisista (2.3) mentions the nine kinds of food: havisyanna, payasa, palanna, gudanna, ksirodana, dadhyodana, krsara, masanna and citranna for the nine Grahas resp.

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193 At the end of the first adhyaya the Santi-Kalpa claims that, just as one mechanism counteracts another mechanism or just as a coat of mail checks the arrows, so too this Santi checks the attack of the evil destiny. It is said that this ceremony should be performed at least once in a year; so that a man lives a life of full hundred autumns, endowed with good health and strength. It is also said that the Grahas are always favourable to a person who is non-violent and self-controlled, who earns money piously and who follows the precepts of Law. The second adhyaya of this work deals with the Mahasanti proper. The Mahasanti begins with the worship of the constellations (naksatranam upacarah) The worship of the Grahas and the Naksatras is often enjoined in the Parisistas 16. 15 The performer clad in a new garment spreads, to the east of the fire, a new piece of cloth with its trails pointing towards the north. Upon this cloth he places the image of the twenty-eight constellations made of pigment, wood or metal and invokes them with the given laudatory (15) This is probably the reason why Sayana considers this part of the Santi-Kalpa to be the Naksatra-kalpa and consistently refers to it as such. See f.n. 10 under the Naksatra-Kalpa above. Cf. Bloomfield, SBE 42, p. 233. (16) Atharvaveda-Parisistas 18 b.2.9; 19.3; 24.1.2; 70.9.3 etc.

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194 17 slokas The colour of the image of each of the constellations is prescribed (as in the case of the Grahas in the 18 first adhyaya). The images of the constellations are given a bath with the mantra: ima apah ... . They are then offered flowers, garments and unguents of corresponding colours. Clarified butter is offered to them to the accompaniment of two hymns (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7, 8)' and the havis 20 19 is offered with the prescribed verses Sacrificial sticks (17) The slokas given here are comparable to those employed at the invocation of Skanda in the Dhurta-kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 20.2.1-7). It may be noted in this connection that the Naksatras are addressed as being by nature sadharana (Krttika and Visakha), dhruva (Rohini, Uttara, Phalguni, Uttara Asadha and Uttara Prosthapada), mrdu (Mrgasiras, Citra, Anuradha and Revati), daruna (Ardra, Alesa, Jyestha and Mula), cara (Punarvasu, Svati, Sravana, and Satabhisak), Keipra (Pusya, Hasta, Abhijit and Asvins) and uera (Magha, Purva Phalguni, Purva Asadha, Purva Prosthapada and Bharani). This astronomical division of the constellations corresponds with Brhatsamhita 98.6-11, except for the omission of Abhijit and with the Kalanirnaya of Madhava except for the inclusion of Visakha in the ugra group and of Asvins in the sadharana group. Cf. Weber, Die Vedischen Nachrichten Von den Naatra II, p. 385 f.n. 4. A (18) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension III.12.9; IX.3.23. (19) These two hymns are employed in the Naksatra-Kalpa also. (20) These verses which are spread over five kandikas are identical with Atharvaveda-Parisistas 1.37-41 and are called in the Naksatra-Kalpa as naksatra-devata mantrah. They are employed there for the naksatra-snana-vidhi. As the Vedic Concordance shows, these verses have no parallels elsewhere.

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195 are offered and the constellations are prayed to. The havis to be offered to each of the constellations and the gifts to be given in honour of each of them are mentioned in detail in this adhyaya. Commenting on this worship of the constellations, Bolling remarks: "This ceremony must have had other applications than serving as an introduction to the Mahasanti and its dependence is recognised by the marked transition with which our text turns to the Mahasanti itself. The name of this ceremony occurs in the Kausika Sutra 39.7,27; 43.5; 44.6; 69.7 (cf. also 9.5 note) but in all these passages it seems to refer to a caturgani santi, a ceremony so much simpler that it has in common with our text little except the name. " 21 commences the After the worship of the constellations Maha-santi proper. At the outset the performer worships the quarters, sub-quarters, Yama, Indra, Visvesvara, Visnu, the Sun and the Moon, or, according to the thirty others, Agni, the Grahas, Vayu and Asvins' Mantras are specified for the worship of each of them. 22 Next comes the propitiation of Nirrti, the goddess of destruction. This ceremony is described by Kausika Sutra (18.1-6) and is referred to in the Parisistas (33.4.4). It is essential at every ceremony in order that all evil should be (21) "The Santi-kalpa of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension ," Transactions of the American Philological Association XXXV, p. 81. (22) These two series are combined at Atharvaveda-Parisistas 70.9.2-5.

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196 removed. The performer, wearing a black garment, kindles by night, at the cross roads to the south-west of the village, virana grass by means of the light taken from a funeral fire. An image of the Coddess Nirrti, clad in black garment and facing towards the north, is placed to the south of the fire. To her are then offered black flowers, incense and oblations (bali) of wrinkled and bearded grains (lomika dhanah), ground sesame (palala), wine, flour, sour gruel, flesh, honey, kroda (dioscorea alata), fruits, flowers, porridge of rice and sesame, fish and various kinds of Then with the specified mantras, the celebrant into the fire 23 raw flesh with omentum, ingida oil (in place of clarified butter), chaff, the points and pani of reeds, the thorns of the plant svadanti and grains, seperately mixing them with sand (sarkara) every time. also makes an offering of reed points without such a mi: and offers only sand. It is, however, prescribed that in place of such offerings, boiled rice may be offered to Nirrti. Further the performer makes an offering of chaff into a saucer containing fire and then breaks the saucer over the back of a donkey uttering the formula: "Slain are the haters of Brahma". Thereafter the performer goes down to the water reciting the mantra: ava ma papman ... 24, implants a sapeta (23) The text enjoins that while making this offering the performer should sit facing towards the image. This need not mean, as Bolling suggests (op.cit. p.83) that he sits with his back towards the fire. He sits to the north of the fire so that he faces the image, as well as the fire, while making these offerings. (24) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 2.

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197 (a mat of drift reeds) on the bank of a river where it takes a turn to the south, sprinkles it with apam suktani (hymns addressed to the waters 25) and puts on a new garment having thrown away his black garment into the flowing water. He makes the priest utter a benediction, and leaving his footwear there, turns round reciting the Mantra: yatha suryo... and comes home. 26 The text then mentions the thirty varieties 27 of the Maha-santi. These are named after the deities to whom they are offered or the objects which are to be secured (25) i.e. the mantras from the salila gana (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 32.22). (26) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension X.1.32. (27) They are 1) Amrta 2) Vaisvadevi 3) Agneyi 4) Bhargavi, 5) Brahmi 6) Barhaspatya 7) Prajapatya 8) Savitri 9) Gayatri 10) Angirasi 11) Aindri 12) Mahendri 13) Kauberi 14) Aditya 15) Vaisnavi 16) Vastospatya 17) RaudrI 18) Aparajita 19) Yamya 21) Vayarya 22) Samtatih 23) Trastri 24) Kaumari 20) Varuni 25) Nairrti 26) Marudgani 27) Gandharvi 28) Airavati 29) Parthivi and 30) Abhaya.

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198 through them. The Parisistas mention thirteen 28 of these variations of the Maha-santi and in addition prescribe Salila (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 31.8.3), Sauryl 29 (70°.6-5), and Kapota (70°.29.1) santis which are not included in this list of the Santi-Kalpa The other varieties of the Maha-santi are not met with in the Parisistas. The Santi-Kalpa then states the occasions on which these different santis are to be performed. The Parisistas generally agree with the Santi-Kalpa in this matter. Thus we find that Brahmi Santi is to be performed for protection against ominous fire (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 72.5.1), the Prajapatya for obtaining progeny (70 b.13.1), the Aindri against the attack by an enemy (31.8.1); the Aindri and Varuni Santis against draught (28) (1) Amrta: Atharvaveda-Parisistas 31.7.5; 8.1; 62.4.6; 68.3.9; 69.6.2; 70.2.5; 70°.32.36; 71.19.8; 72.1.3,3.16. (2) Vaisvadevi: 63.5.5; 69.6.2; 70 b.19.3; 71.19.8 (3) Brahmi: 72.5.1. (4) Prajapatya: 70 b.13.2. (5) Aindri: 31.8.1; 65.3.6. (6) Mahendri: 62.4.6; 68.3.9; 70 b.17.1; 71.19.8. (7) Kauberi: 68.3.9. (8) Aditya: 68.3.9. (9) Raudri: 31.8.2; 60.1.6; 63.5.5; 64.10.10; 68.3.9; 69.6.2; 70 b.10.1, 17.1; 71.19.8. (10) Aparajita: 68.3.9; 69.6.2. (11) Varuni: 65.3.6; 70.6.5. (12) Vayavya: 70 b.4.2 (Vayavi) (13) Abhaya: 60.1.6; 63.5.5; 69.6.2. The word Yamya at 70 b.13.2 possibly refers to Nirrti-karma. (29) This is not the same as the Aditya santi.

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199 (65.3.6), the Raudri for the cure of diseases (64.10.10); the Vayavya for safety from wind (70 b.4.1) and the Abhaya Santi for freedom from fear (60.1.6). We, however, find that the Santis are prescribed by the Parisistas even for occasions other than those laid down in the Santi-Kalpa For instance, the Raudri Santi is prescribed also against omens and portents (31.8.2 and 70 b.10.1) and the Brahmi for securing a kingdom (72.5.2). The Amrta is to be performed in case of fear from death (31.8.1). This performance seems to be suggested by the sense of the word Amrta. We also find that a number of santis like the Vaisnavi, Raudri, Aparajita and Varuni are performed in order to avert the evil effects of mens and the KauberI, Aditya and Aparajita, those of evil dreams. It is true that the purposes, for which the various Santis, as laid down by the Santi-Kalpa , are to be performed, often overlap but it is difficult to agree on that account with Bolling when he says that the scope of many santis is so badly defined that "it is impossible to justify each prescription of a certain form in the Parisistas."30 The main point of difference in these various Santis consists in the employment of different avapa-mantras for them. The amulets to be used by the performer are also different in different santis. Similarly these amulets are to be tied with different mantras. These are next specified. The avapa-mantras are usually taken from a gana of the same (30) op. cit., p. 86.

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200 nam e 31 as the santi. Sometimes the connection is etymological. Thus the Bhauma anuvaka (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XII.1.1-63) is used at the Parthivi, Citragana at the Bhargavi and nirrti-mantras are used at the Nirgti santi. The vyahrti-gana and the chandogana, which are used for the Savitri and the Gayatri Santis respectively, do not occur elsewhere. 32 The Santi-Kalpa then describes, in some details, the Amrta maha-santi, which tops the list of the Santis and which is said to serve as the norm (tantrabhuta) for all the types of Santis. The performer brings holy water from rivers or lakes and recites over it the mantra: sam samsrvantu He then performs the Paurnamasa sacrifice up to the end of the ajyabharas and prepares santyudaka. He sprinkles the sacred fire thrice with this holy water. It is later used for bathing, reserving some of it for the rest of the ceremony. The performer offers oblations of the fibres of Asvattha, rice, barley, horse-radish (sigru), water, badellium, poison, krenali (abrus precatorious) and saha herbs, alabu (lagenaria vulgaris), reed panicles and reed points, reciting the mantras from the catana gana. With the same mantras he makes an offering of ingida oil and of the sticks of atas, jatu, trapus, musala, khadira, palasa, tarstagh, apamarga and asvattha. Then the sticks of khadira, (31) e.g. rudra, aparajita, vastospatya and abhaya. However, the aditya gana (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 32.19 b) is not used for the Aditya santi. (32) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.1.1.

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201 apamarga, baja, pinga, satinga, salmala (cotton plant), mala (flacourtia cataphracta), sahamana, prsni-parni (hermonitis cordifolia) and ajasrngi (odina pinnata) are together offered once into the fire without any mantras The text then describes a peculiar ceremony ony 33. An Some offering of clarified butter is made into the fire with the 34 hymn asmavarma and the residue of the offering is used to besmear the requisites for this ceremony, namely, a staff of tumbara wood, the plant sadampuspa (calatropis giganta), white mustard, ten leaves, ten stones and on amulet. of the residue is put into the santyudaka. Circles are drawn in all the ten quarters of the house, namely, on the four walls, in the four corners, at the centre of the floor and of the roof and they are besmeared with cow-dung. Sand is spread over these circles and santyudaka is sprinkled on them. A stone (on a leaf) is placed on each circle. Above the door another circle is drawn, sand is scattered and the staff etc. are placed there. Oblations are offered to all the quarters with ve 'syam...35 and the east is prayed to. The residue of the offering is put into the vessel containing the holy water. (33) This is possibly an elaboration of the ceremony prescribed by Kausika Sutra 51.14-16 for the protection of a house, field etc. (34) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension V.10. (35) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension III.26.

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292 The mantras of the following ten ganas, namely, santi, krtyadusana, catana, matrnama, vastospatya, papmaha, yaksmopaghata (= takmanasana), svapnantika (= duhsvapnanasana), ayusya and varcasya are recited to accompany the oblations. It is said that the Maha-santi consists of these ten ganas in addition to the eight ganas, namely, svastyayana, abhaya, aparajita, sarmavarma, devapuriva, rudra, radura and citra. The Santi performed with the mantras of the first ten ganas and up to the Nairrta-karma is called the dasagani sant 136 After the oblations are offered the Brahmanas are made to pronounce benediction and a silent offering of bdellium is made into the fire for the Raksasas. Oblations are offered with the ayusya-gana and the residue is sprinkled upon the performer. Oblations are offered with the patnivanta gana and the residue is sprinkled on the wife of the performer. An offering of drinks stirred with curds, rice and barley-flour is offered to the Raksasas and then the performer takes bath with the prescribed mantras. An amulet of rice and barley is covered with the residue of the offering made with the prana-sukta (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XI.4), is decorated and worshipped and is then fastened on the performer and his wife. Rice is cooked according to the pakayaina and is (36) Cf. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 18 b.19.3: pratidinam dasagani mahasantih.

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203 offered into the fire with the avapa-mantras. The Sauti is then brought to a close, the Brahmanas are fed to their satisfaction and are given the prescribed daksina. It will be thus seen that the Maha-santi consists of the following items: 1) Propitiation of the Vinayakas 2) worship of the Grahas 3) worship of the Naksatras 4) propitiation of Nirrti 5) oblations to the deities with the relevant mantras and 6) tying of the prescribed amulets. As Bolling rightly observes, the ceremony is "characterised by such a heaping up both of mantras and ceremonies asto preclude the hope of finding much clear symbolism underlying 37 either." The Atharvanic character of the Santi-Kalpa is quite obvious. At the outset it pays obeisance to the Brahma-veda and then proceeds, as the Parisistas do, to describe the ceremony, prescribing the use of the mantras from the first nineteen kandas of the saunaki ya recension of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension That the Santi-Kalpa belongs to the right atharvanic tradition is seen also from the worship of the Vinayakas and the propitiation of Nirrti which are included in it. The facts that both these are performed at cross roads at night, and that uncanny offerings are made in connection with them, are of particular significance from that point of view. The dependence of the Santi-Kalpa on the Kausika Sutra becomes clear (37) op. cit. p. 89.

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204 at many places. At I.10.3 the Santi-Kalpa makes use of a mantra: amso raja... which is taken from Kausika Sutra 71.1. At II.15.5 it uses the mantras, Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension VIII.1.12-13 and Vedic Index 67.84, which are used for getting freed from Nirrti by Kaus at 97.8 and 52.3. At I.14.9 it employs the ceremony prescribed by Kausika Sutra 1.36; 58.5. At II.12.6 it agrees with Kausika Sutra 68.40; 140.21 in prescribing the offering of food to the Brahmanas (under the Krttikas). Sometimes the hymns are similarly employed in the Kausika Sutra and the Santi-Kalpa that is to say either in the worship of the same god (Kausika Sutra 127.9 and the Prajapatya santi; Kausika Sutra 59.19 and the Barhaspatya santi) or to obtain a similar object in the kamyani karmani (Kausika Sutra 59.1 and Vaisvadevi; 59.15 and Agneyi; 59.5 and the Aindri santi). It is also found that most of the mantras used by the Santi-Kalpa in connection with the fastening of the amulets of prescribed substances are identical with those mentioned in the ,38 Kaus At II.19.1 (end), the Santi-Kalpa correctly mentions the herb sahasrakanda (Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.7.2) whereas the Kausika Sutra (26.35) merely states mantroktam .39 The ceremony employed at II.22 is, as has been noted, an elaboration of Kausika Sutra 51.14-16 which latter is employed in connection with the protection of a house. The Santi-Kalpa shows its acquaintance with the Vaitana Sutra also. Thus it borrows from the Vaitana Sutra at II.14.2 the mantras for (38) At Kausika Sutra 28.9 the same substance, namely, samicurna, is used but not as an amulet. (39) The commentators, however, mention yavamani. See Bloomfield, SBE 42, p. 285; Bolling, op. cit. p. 87.

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205 the invocation of the gods, Indra (Vaitana Sutra 2.14), Asvins (19.4) and Visnu (10.1). The similarity of traditions in the Santi-Kalpa and the Naksatra-Kalpa is clearly seen. The mantras used for offering oblations to the constellations (Santi-Kalpa II.7-11) are the same as those called naksatradevata mantrah in the Naksatra-Kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 1.37-41). The Santi-Kalpa lists the havis (oblations) for each constellation at II.12. 1-5. We find that occasionally the same substance and constellation are brought into correlation in the Naksatra-Kalpa by prescribing that substance either for being eaten under that constellation or for mixing it with water for the naksatrasnana. The list of the daksinas given at Santi-Kalpa II.13 is evidently drawn from a metrical passage which is found in the Naksatra-Kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 1.47-50). The style of the Santi-Kalpa is on the whole similar to that of the Naksatra-Kalpa and most of the other Parisistas. The main body of the work is composed in the anustubh verse which is handled with fair regularity. The significant exceptions are the avahana mantras for the Grahas (I.12.1-10) and those for the Naksatras (II.1-5). These verses are composed with greater freedom. The verses used for offering oblations to the constellations (II.7-11) are quite archaic and they do not confirm to the classic requirements of metre. The Kalpas constitute a distinct type of literature belonging exclusively to the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension This type of literature is not found included among the ancillary texts relating to

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206 the other Vedas. It is difficult to say why the Kausika Sutra and the Vaitana Sutra were included among the Kalpas when they were usually referred to as Sutras. However, it may be noted 40 that the Wait. says at the end (43.46), that he who studies these two Kalpas (namely the Vait and the Kausika Sutra ) and who knows them will secure the fruit of performing all the sacrifices and will have all his desires fulfilled. It is true that under the Kalpas have been brought together texts of very different value. It is also not unlikely that besides the Vaitana Sutra and the Kausika Sutra Sutras, there had been in existence independent Vaitana Sutra and Kausika Sutra Kalpas which elaborated the sacrificial rites etc. mentioned in these two Sutras. The three texts other than the Kausika Sutra and the Vaitana Sutra namely, the Naksatra-kalpa, the Santi-kalpa and the Angirasa-kalpa could have very well been included among the Parisistas. The Naksatra-Kalpa is, indeed, counted as the first among the Parisistas. There are other texts in the Atharvaveda-Parisistas which are shorter, of an inferior value and are called Kalpas. Thus there is Pistaratryah Kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 6), Dhurta-kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 20), Anulomakalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 34) Asuri-kalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 35) and Ucchusmakalpa (Atharvaveda-Parisistas 36). These texts, too, describe the rites which are characteristically atharvanic. The Pistaratryah Kalpa, for instance, lays down the worship of the image of the Goddess Night for the sake of safety at night; the Dhurta- (40) ya jimi kalpavadhita ya ma caivam veda tena ke sarvaih ktubhiristam bhavati savaraca kamanaproti|

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B 207 kalpa describes the worship of God Skanda (to be performed by thieves?), the Anuloma-kalpa and Asuri-kalpa employ black magic and the Ucchusma-kalpa prescribes the worship of God Siva in the form of Ucchusma to obtain various objects of wishes. WIDE IN MEDEN

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